Proof of Love
by LightOfDarkness
Summary: Rated for language. Bakura's been getting crap from the others and his distress effects Ryou. Slight Yaoiness.


LOD: This is my first non-songfic I've done in a while.  
  
Kahti: Wasn't it meant to be a songfic, though?  
  
LOD: Yeah, anyway, I apologize now for the not so good ending.  
  
Kahti: We'll see how bad it is when we get there. Now, here's Disclaimer Dude!  
  
DD: Hi. LightOfDarkness and Kahtiihma do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any other anime, for that matter.  
  
LOD: On with the fic!

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The knife hit the wall with a dull thud. It vibrated its point deep in the plaster and wood.  
  
Bakura stared at the knife, his crimson eyes narrowed. He was in his room taking his anger out on random inanimate objects. Already a pillow was shredded and there were several gashes in the wall from previous attacks from knives.  
  
The reason for the spirit of the Millennium Ring's ire was the events of earlier that day. Ryou had met up with Yugi and his posse to hang out and Bakura had tagged along.  
  
Another knife slammed into the wall, Bakura's face a mask of fury. They had entered the game shop that Yugi's grandpa owned and the room had gone quiet. Bakura could feel the hostility in the air. The fact that the Pharaoh was there didn't help.  
  
A fresh wave of fury washed over Bakura and he kicked the wall. He hated ht damned Pharaoh! Yami had made snide remarks; about how Bakura should be watched so he doesn't steal anything, that he couldn't be trusted. Ryou did speak up in Bakura's defense, but the damage was already done.  
  
And that wasn't the end of it. Bakura sat down heavily in a chair and remembered what was said to Ryou. His hikari was taken aside when Bakura want to use the restroom, but he had heard everything.  
  
The others had questioned Ryou. They wanted to know if Bakura was violent to him, abusive in any way. Ryou denied it, but it was obvious Yugi and his gang didn't believe it.  
  
Bakura clenched his fists, biting back a scream of frustration. How dare they think he'd do that to Ryou? Sure, his past wasn't the best, but can't they see he cared for his hikari? Why wasn't the Pharaoh ever asked that? His actions in Egypt were just as cruel as Bakura's.  
  
A knock on the door brought Bakura out of his furious musings. He cleared his throat and called out.  
  
"It's open."  
  
The door opened and Ryou's face appeared. The room seemed to brighten, at least in Bakura's mind it did.  
  
"Bakura?" Ryou said softly. "Are you hungry?"  
  
Bakura shook his head. "No, but thanks anyway." It still amazed him how much he had changed for his hikari. Months before, he would've said some rude remark and dismissed Ryou without a second thought.  
  
"Alright." Ryou opened the door more so he had enough room to walk into the room if he wanted to do so. "Are you okay?"  
  
The question, innocent enough, made Bakura nearly burst into tears. "Of course I am." He lied, digging his nails into his palm to keep his emotions under control. "Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
Ryou eyed the knives sticking out of the wall and raised an eyebrow. "Redecorating, then? Unless you're planning on changing the wallpaper, they don't match."  
  
A short laugh erupted from Bakura's lips. Ryou was trying to cheer him up, but the teen's efforts were in vain.  
  
"Maybe a few limbs, a shrunken head collection?" Bakura suggested, his voice dark. "Or is that too tacky?"  
  
Now inside the room, Ryou sat on the edge of Bakura's bed. "Of anyone we know?"  
  
"I can think of a few..." Bakura mumbled Ryou sighed.  
  
"And I can guess." He said. "They were very rude today, I was embarrassed. After all you've done to redeem yourself; you'd think they would at least give you a chance."  
  
"Ryou," Bakura blurted out. "Do I abuse you?"  
  
Ryou gazed at Bakura, surprised. He then shook his head.  
  
"No, of course not. Not anymore, and back then you never abused me directly, or at least it wasn't personal. Why do you ask?"  
  
Looking away as to not meet Ryou's eyes, Bakura shrugged. Understanding came upon Ryou.  
  
"Oh, no, you overheard them at the store?" Ryou asked. Bakura didn't answer; instead he stood up and inspected the knives in his wall.  
  
"Maybe you should leave." Bakura said softly. "I'll see you in the morning."  
  
Ryou didn't argue, though he didn't want to go. With a small smile he left Bakura's room.  
  
Only when his hikari was far out or earshot did Bakura break down. He normally didn't weep, but all Bakura's anger and frustration needed a less violent way to exit him. Bakura collapsed onto his bed, crying into a pillow.  
  
Downstairs, Ryou fought back tears of his own. Though he couldn't hear Bakura, he could sense the strong emotions coming from the spirit. Bakura was hurt by what Yugi and the others said, though he hid it well. Ryou was ashamed of his friends' actions. Bakura had changed, couldn't they see that?  
  
Now angry, Ryou viciously chopped some carrots. The knife slipped and sliced deep into his hand. Crying out, Ryou grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his hand, trying to slow the blood flow.  
  
Bakura seemed to appear out of thin air beside Ryou. "What's wrong, Ryou?" He asked. He took one look at the now blood-soaked towel and his red rimmed eyes widened. He raced to a phone and called the emergency number with numb fingers, soon someone was on their way to help.  
  
It all seemed to happen so fast. Ryou was rushed off to the hospital and Bakura, saying he was the older brother, was brought along. Weak from blood loss, Ryou drifted in and out of consciousness, which only made Bakura more stressed. He found himself in a waiting room with Ryou in the emergency room and no one was telling Bakura anything else.  
  
Finally, a medic approached Bakura. They had managed to stop the blood flow and were giving Ryou stitches. He was lucky, the doctor said, a little lower and a main artery would have been severed.  
  
"If he was lucky, we wouldn't be here." Bakura mumbled when the doctor left.  
  
Bakura knew he couldn't see Ryou yet, but it took everything he had to not burst into the emergency room. Instead, Bakura sat in the waiting area, nervously wringing his hands.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, someone called out. "Bakura!"  
  
Who it was only made Bakura's mood darken. You walked up, followed closely by Yami and Joey.  
  
"Bakura," Yugi repeated. "What happened?" Bakura sighed.  
  
"Ryou cut himself accidentally. I think he was making dinner. He's fine, but he's going to need stitches."  
  
Yami made a loud snorting noise, obviously not believing Bakura's story. Bakura tried to keep his temper out of his voice. "Why are you guys here?" Bakura asked.  
  
"I get called if something happens to Ryou." Yugi replied. "That is, only if his parents aren't home."  
  
"So you basically get called every time, then?" Bakura said dryly. The fact of the constant absence of Ryou's parents was no secret. "And Joey gets ringed up also?"  
  
Joey nodded. "Can we see him?" Bakura shook his head.  
  
"No," He said. "Not yet, anyway."  
  
"What happened again?" Yami asked suspiciously.  
  
Eyeing Yami, Bakura cautiously replied. "He was cutting something for dinner and missed, getting his hand. I was upstairs when I heard him yell and then I called for help."  
  
Yami rolled his eyes. "No, really, what did you do to him?" Bakura's eyes widened.  
  
"I didn't touch him, Pharaoh, if that's what you're implying." Bakura said, rising from his chair.  
  
"And we're supposed to believe that?" Yami questioned. Yugi and Joey just stepped back, not wanting to get caught in the middle.  
  
"Damn it, yes!" Bakura said, his voice rising. "It's your own problem if you don't. I care for Ryou, just as you care for your hikari."  
  
Yami's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare compare yourself to me, Thief!" Bakura felt anger course through his veins like fire.  
  
"Have you told Yugi, yet?" Bakura hissed. Yugi looked surprised at the mention of his name. "About your escapades in Egypt? I may have been peasant scum then, but tales of your acts of cruelty were told to scare children into behaving."  
  
"You lie." Yami snarled. Bakura started laughing.  
  
"You don't remember, do you? Pity, I remember everything. I recall marveling at the things you did. Don't worry, it'll come to you eventually."  
  
Before Bakura could blink, Yami had him pinned against a wall. "Shut up!" The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle growled. "I've had enough of your lies!"  
  
Bakura calmly gazed at the furious Yami. "Y'know, I haven't been this violent in a long, long time. I feel sorry for Yugi, having to live with you."  
  
Stunned, Yami let go of Bakura who smirked. "Like I said, believe what you want. I know the truth and that's good enough for me."  
  
In an attempt to change the subject, Joey spoke up. "How bad did they say it was?" The blond asked.  
  
Relieved, Bakura glanced at the emergency room door. "They said he's getting stitches, that he was lucky to not cut a main artery or something." Bakura's crimson eyes narrowed and he added softly. "If he was so fortunate, then why are we here?"  
  
No one answered, though yami had to hold his tongue before he said another accusation. Bakura looked at a clock and groaned softly..  
  
"He hasn't had dinner yet..." Bakura muttered quietly. "Will they feed him?"  
  
The question surprised the others. Yugi shrugged.  
  
"They should, if he'll be able to eat." Said Yugi. Bakura bit his lower lip in thought.  
  
"He will be able to, I'll make sure of it." Bakura whispered.  
  
Before anyone could reply to this, the doors opened and a man in doctor's garb approached Bakura.  
  
"Hello," He said brightly. "I'm Dr. Hiro Shittamana. Are you Ryou's brother?"  
  
"Yes," Bakura said. "Can I see him?"  
  
Dr. Shittamana smiled. "Well, Ryou's hand is stitched up and he appears to be doing fine. I'd like to have a brief meeting with you, maybe find out where your parents-"  
  
"Damn it!" Bakura interrupted loudly. "I want to see my brother, can I do that?" Seeing the shock on the doctor's face, Bakura sighed. "Please?"  
  
"Uh, I think can." The doctor said, nodding nervously. "He may seem a little out of it, but that's from the pain killers. Please, be quick."  
  
"Thank you ever so much." Bakura said pleasantly, letting the doctor lead him to Ryou without so much as a backwards glance at Yami and the others.  
  
Bakura was brought to a room occupied by two beds and not much else. Ryou was on one of the beds and Bakura rushed to his side.  
  
As if he sensed his yami's presence, Ryou's eyes slowly opened. "Bakura..." Ryou whispered. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Be quiet." Bakura said, his tone gentler then his words. "It's my fault, not yours."  
  
"But, how?" Ryou asked weakly. "I was the one holding the knife."  
  
"And you were distracted because of me, don't argue, it's true." Bakura said firmly. He reached out towards Ryou's injured left hand, then paused.  
  
Ryou lifted his bandaged hand and held it out for Bakura, who gingerly took it. He cupped it in his own hands, muttering softly. Ryou watched silently, curious.  
  
The hand Bakura held slightly glowed an eerie blue color before it faded back to normal. Bakura started to unwrap Ryou's hand.  
  
"Bakura, what-" Ryou stopped when Bakura gave him a strange look. What made Ryou even more confused is when Bakura smiled wide and continued his task.  
  
Finally, the hand was free of its bandages. Ryou looked at it and gasped. Before, the wound was an ugly red and black gash running across the back of his hand to his wrist. Now it was nearly completely healed. There still was a cut, but most of the slice was now new pink skin.  
  
"I'm a little out of practice." Bakura muttered. "I couldn't fix it all, sorry."  
  
Ryou stared at his hand, then at Bakura. He flung his arms around his yami, nearly falling out of the bed in doing so.  
  
"No matter what anyone else says," Ryou whispered fiercely. "I'll still love you."  
  
Those words caught Bakura off guard, but he recovered enough to return Ryou's embrace. Healing Ryou had drained Bakura immensely and Ryou soon found himself holding his unconscious yami.  
  
Calling out for a nurse, Ryou let them place Bakura in the empty bed in the room. Ryou's healed hand startled the nurse who came to change the bandages. She had Shittamana inspect it, but he could find no explanation. Ryou shrugged, saying he was a fast healer. The doctor still insisted Ryou stay the night, along with Bakura.  
  
Dr. Shittamana turned to Ryou. "There are some friends of yours here. Shall I have them sent in?"  
  
Ryou shook his head, smiling. "No, I'm tired and I want to rest. Tell them I said that and they can visit tomorrow."  
  
The doctor left the room to go do that. Ryou looked at the clock, it was about 9:45. Not that late, but the day had been draining.  
  
After trying to sleep, Ryou found he couldn't settle down. He knew why, too. He got out of his hospital bed and walked softly over to Bakura's bed. Bakura was fast asleep, looking very peaceful. Ryou loved to see Bakura sleep, it showed a gentler side of the spirit when he did.  
  
Ryou climbed into Bakura's bed, curling up beside his yami. Instantly, he felt sleep descend upon him. Tomorrow Ryou would confront Yami and the others and try to convince them Bakura had changed, but right now he just wanted to be with the one person he truly cared for; Bakura.  
  
A nurse came in during the night to check up on them. She was startled to see them together in Bakura's bed, but she didn't make Ryou move. She smiled as she covered them both with a blanket. It wasn't everyday you saw brotherly love this strong.  
  
She didn't know how right she was.

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Kahti: Huh? .  
  
LOD: Sigh... it is a little confusing, isn't it?  
  
Kahti: Try extremely so.  
  
LOD: I suck at endings! I couldn't stop this neatly, so I just pulled it to a halt.  
  
Kahti: Yeah, I can see that. Doesn't make it any less confusing.  
  
LOD: Hey, I don't see you writing!  
  
Kahti: Because you say my writing is inappropriate for the R-ratings. O  
  
LOD: Maybe I'll post one of yours... But they're so limey! XP  
  
Amaera: I like limeade. =D  
  
Kahti: Ama! glomps See, she agrees!  
  
LOD: I know she does, she's the little cybering queen on .  
  
Amaera: That's not me! That's her! points  
  
Esten: Hi, wanna good time? (;-D3  
  
Kahti: Hey, I'm the only sluttish girl allowed her, go away.  
  
Esten: Damn...  
  
LOD: Anyway, review and tell me how bad I did!  
  
Amaera: Go visit and if you join tell them I referred you! 


End file.
